This couple! Their dedication, hard work, and body changes over the past months are why we chose Joyce and Jeff (cameo by Sebastian!) as our TBFers of the Month for July!

Joyce had become unhappy with her body after having their first son and decided to do something about it. After committing to dietary changes and regular exercise, she knocked off 30lbs. After finding Throwback, she continued pressing to her desired weight and is now down over 70lbs since giving birth! Since Jeff started coming to class two months ago, he lost 8lbs and his cardiovascular endurance has approached the levels he maintained while in the military.

The couples craves their exercise sessions now, and have even instituted ’45-second challenges’ into their daily routine, seeing who can do the most reps of a given exercise in that time. Their willingness to find a way to fit their workouts in is highlighted by their Sebastian handoffs (Joyce takes the 6:30am, Jeff the 7:30am) in the morning so they can each fit a class into their busy schedules - Joyce works from home for a logistics company and Jeff is now a full-time student after serving 6 years in the Army. Say hi to Joyce and Jeff when you see them and class..but don’t even think of challenging them to a squat-off! Congrats Joyce and Jeff!

Name: Joyce Wagner

Hometown: Dededo, Guam

University: NYU

Favorite Exercise: I like mountain climbers and med ball taps because I'm surprisingly fast at them, but I've recently started liking jump rope even though I'm not awesome at them yet

Favorite Throwback Recess Game: Probably TBF Corn Hole

Favorite Movie from Childhood: It's a tie between Kindergarten Cop and Teen Witch

Favorite Throwback Jam: Jump Around by House of Pain

Name: Jeff Wagner

Hometown: Shelby Twp., MI.

University: NYU

Favorite Exercise: The push-up because I can do them fast but rowing because it's a great overall body workout

Favorite Throwback Recess Game: TBF Corn Hole

Favorite Movie from Childhood: Commando

Favorite Throwback Jam: Eye of the Tiger by Survivor

1. What inspired you to want to make a change in your exercise habits?

Joyce: I was in decent shape in my 20s. Then I got married. And THEN I had a baby. Pregnancy was fun, but it was rough on my body. I gained about 70 pounds by the time my son was born, and though the first 20 fell off, I had trouble getting myself motivated enough to lose the rest. It was really depressing, and though I exercised a little, I really didn't kick it into high gear until early 2015 when we booked our first family vacation to Turks & Caicos. I wasn't comfortable with the idea of being the biggest I ever was on a beach in a swimsuit.

Jeff: In 2014, I was medically retired from the Army because I had been diagnosed with coronary artery disease. Having gone through surgery and then rehab, I knew that staying fit was key in fighting this disease. So, when we moved to NYC, I started going to tons of classes to stay fit. But, being that I was a full time student as well as a new dad, exercise soon took a back seat. Fast forward to this year, I noticed that Joyce (my wife) had been killing it and lost a lot of weight, which I'm super proud of her for. Then I started to notice that my pants were fitting a little tighter and I got on the scale....and damn was I out of shape! In fact, this was the heaviest that I have ever weighed and I also noticed how winded I would get from doing things that I easily could have done in the past. So I decided that I needed to get my butt back in shape not only to feel better but to keep my heart healthy.

2. What changes (in your body and fitness level) have you noticed most since starting Throwback / your new exercise routine?

Joyce: I was on classpass for about 8 months and while I lost a good amount of weight, I had plateaued until I switched to Throwback full time. In the last 6 months, not only did I lose the last bit of baby weight I had been struggling to lose, but I am also the smallest I've been since maybe high school. More than that, though, I am the strongest and fittest I've ever been in my entire life. There are a lot of physical things I didn't know or think I could do that now seem pretty normal to me.

Jeff: Since starting Throwback two months ago I have lost 8 pounds and my cardio levels are close to what they were when I was in the military. I'm definitely a whole lot stronger and I can actually start to see the muscle that I had covered up with bacon cheeseburgers...lol. My doctor has also noticed that my HDL levels are higher than they have been in a while.

3. If you could share one diet tip, what would it be?

Joyce: I guess it would be to not think about healthy eating as a diet, but as a lifestyle where you try to make as many good choices as you possibly can. A diet implies that you are supposed to restrict yourself to "being good," but only for a set amount of time in which you can go back to eating whatever you want after you've hit your goal; but if you think about it in terms of making small changes that eventually turn into habits, it's a lot easier to keep on track and not completely regress.

Jeff: Too hard to pick just one, so I will give you what has worked for me. First, watch your salt and sugar intake. Read the packaging labels, that's what they are there for. Second, drink plenty of water. I try to make a habit out of drinking a glass of water before every meal. Not only does it help fill you up, it also helps with digestion. Third, make life changes. What I mean by that is don't just go out and start the newest fad diet that you heard about. While it might work while you are doing it, once you you stop it you will gain back all the weight you lost and maybe more. Last but not least, practice moderation! If you're going to have a cheat meal make sure it's just a meal and not the whole day.

4. You can't be perfect with the diet all the time... What is your favorite cheat food?

Joyce: Pizza!

Jeff: Bacon cheeseburger with and egg on it and cheese fries

5. What do you enjoy most about Throwback?

Joyce: Ahh! It's kind of difficult to choose. I guess saying I love the atmosphere would encompass everything I love about Throwback. I love that from day one, everyone (teachers and students) has been so welcoming and encouraging and fun. I never felt like I shouldn't be there, no matter what my skill level was. It also helps that when things get hard, I can look up and David Hasselhoff gives me a thumbs up.

Jeff: This is also one of those questions where I can't pick just one. Incorporating competition into a workout is a genius idea! When I was a kid I was always really skinny and it wasn't because I ate right or even "worked out" in the conventional sense. I would just go outside and play sports all day with my friends and that's the awesome thing that Throwback has hit on. Not only are you getting a great workout in but the friendly competition pushes you to try harder and reach that next level. So, it doesn't matter if you're in the best shape of your life, you will still get a great workout in and if you don't then that's your own fault. Also, everyone there is very nice from the instructors to the classmates which I find key to any type of class I take.

6. Any workout ideas, contests or events you'd like to see incorporated? (serious or humorous)?

Joyce: I like the idea of Super Summer Fridays where classes are just comprised of all Recess games :)

Jeff: I would say to incorporate drinking with some of the games but you guys beat me to it and started that a few weeks ago....lol!

Throwback

Throwback is gamifying fitness by harnessing the feelings of accomplishment, confidence, and camaraderie that come from being part of a team, and the excitement felt when working together to achieve a common goal.

Our workouts channel the nostalgia of adolescence by modeling our unique, competitive, partner- and team-based workouts after such childhood favorites as Tag and Capture the Flag, or even dorm room-inspired games like Flip Cup.